Combined stoker and firedoor



Sept. 6, 1938. H. P. ANDERSON COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 6, 1938. H. P. ANDERSON I COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOR Filed Jan. 14, 1935 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Howard PAnder s on ATTORNEY.

Sept. 6, 1938. H. P. ANDERSON COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1935 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED STOKER AND FIREDOOR Howard P. Anderson, Erie, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,825

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to stokers and. more particularly to the type of stoker that embraces and delivers fuel through the firing opening of a boiler firebox.

It is particularly adapted for use with the smaller firing openings such as the conventional size of hand firing openings in the fireboxes of locomotives or the like.' Ordinarily these openings are oval shaped and approximately 16" high and 20 wide. Usually a larger opening is provided where a Stoker is used but recent developments have produced stokers adapted to feed through the conventional size of openings. The present invention is an outcome of this development.

With stokers of thistype one of the problems is to avoid as much as possible the formation of a long tunnel-like construction through which the fuel must be delivered when hand fired. A long tunnel notonly makes hand firing diflicult, but, because of the long sides of the tunnel, it is almost impossible for the fireman to properly rake or book the firebed as the side walls of the tunnel prevent sufficient lateral swinging movement of the tools.

This invention seeks to obviate these disadvantages in stokers of the class described by the provision of a novel and practical form of combined, stoker and firedoor apparatus 'in whichthe firedoor when closed forms a portion of the rear. and side walls of a stoker conduit and when open exposes the firing opening permitting hand firing of fuel through the portion of the stoker conduit adjacent the firing opening directly to the firebox.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of novel mechanism for operating the firedoor, and more specifically the provision of such mechanism particularly adapted to and arranged in novel relation with the stoker mechanism.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, the combination of elements and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed. For purposes of description, the invention is illustrated and will be described as used with a locomotive firebox.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a locomotive with the novel combined stoker and firedoor applied thereon and shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation, with the intermediate conduit removed, of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 2 with portions broken away showing parts of the firedoor operating mechanism in section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a locomotive with a modified form of combined stoker and firedoor applied thereon and shown in elevation; and

Figure 8 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 7, shown in elevation with the intermediate conduit removed.

In the drawings, referring particularly to the preferred form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, the locomotive is indicated generally by the numeral I and is provided with a firebox H having a backhead I2 with a firing opening I3 therethrough arranged to form both a hand firing and a stoker firing opening. This opening is oval shaped and is of the conventional size heretofore mentioned. 1

The stoker of the invention for transferring fuel from the tender (not shown) or other source of fuel supply to the firing opening [3 is indicated as a whole by the numeral M. It includes an intermediate conduit 14a and a riser conduit or fuel feed casing l mounted on the backhead I 2 by the bracket l6 and by any suitable fastening members passing through the latter fiange I511. At its discharge end I! the casing l5 has a horizontally directed discharge opening I8 communicating with the firing opening 53. The top wall ill of the discharge end I! of the casing l5 extends rearwardly from adjacent the upper marginal edge of the firing opening and the side walls 20 and 2| extend above the top wall l9. A fuel distributing table 22 extends forwardly through the firing opening I3 from the lower forward end of the discharge end ll of the casing l5 in a position to receive fuel therefrom. A pressure fiuid distributor head 23 is suitably positioned and secured at the rear of the table 22 for projecting the fuel from the table 22 into the firebox. Pressure fluid is supplied to the distributor head through the pipes 23a.

The dischargeend ll of the casing I5 is provided opposite its discharge opening I8 with an aperture 24 of sufficient size to permit entrance to be gained to the firebox and through which fuel may be hand fired. A door 25, the operation and construction of which will be described in more detail hereinafter, is arranged to form a closure for the aperture 24.

The edges of the side walls 28 and 2! that define the aperture 25 and the continuations of these edges on that portion of the side walls extending above the top wall I!) of the casing l5 are provided with the laterally extending flanges 25 and 2?. A pair of guide members 28 and 28 are secured one to each of the flanges 28 and 27 by suitable means, as by the bolts 38 shown in Figure 3. The guide members 28 and 29 are recessed and form with the flanges 28 and 2?, races 3! and 82 in which the door 25 is arranged to slide.

Mechanism constituting an improvement over that heretofore known is provided to operate the firedoor 25 manually or by power. The door is manually operated by the handle 48 mounted on a pivot. As shown (Figure 4) the handle 88 is latched in its uppermost position by engagement of its latch 42 with a complementary lip 43 on the cover or guard 44. The handle is mounted loosely on the pivot '3! so that the spring 55 permits it to be swung away from the cover 44 unlatching the handle from the lip 43, after which any downward movement of the handle will result in the projection 88 of the handle moving the short arm 38 of the door-operating lever 41 with it. This lever pivots on the pivot ll and has an extension arm 48 which is provided with a curved recess or roller track 58 at its outer end. A roller 5| mounted on the firedoor 25 (Figure 5) rolls in the track 55 so downward movement of the short arm 88 raises the arm 49 and it in turn raises the firedoor. The upper side of the latch 42 may be permitted to engage the lip 52 on the cover M if it is desirable to hold the door in open position; otherwise the door will close, due to the action of gravity, as soon as the operating handle 48 is permitted to move up to its normal position.

For operating the fire'door 25 by power means, the motor 55 is employed. The cylinder 56 f the motor is formed integrally with the guide member 28 of the discharge casing l5. A cylinder head 58 covers the upper end of the cylinder 56 and is provided with a one way valve 59, the function of which will be explained later. A piston 58 reciprocates in the cylinder 56 and is provided with a power transfer member or pin 6|. This pin is secured to the piston rod of the piston and projects through a slot 62 in the wall of the cylinder and engages the short arm 48 of the door-operating lever 41, moving from one end to the other in the depression 83 in the lever 41 when the piston moves downward. Thus downward movement of the piston actuates the lever 41' and causes the lower wall 64 of the roller track 58 to press upward against the roller and open the firedoor.

Preferably some foot operated device should be used for governing the supply of fluid pressure to the upper end of the piston 60, such as, for example, the control valve generally designated at T8 in Figure 6. The control valve comprises a housing "H to which the supply pipe 12 conducts fluid pressure, such as air, from any suitable source. A spring 53 constantly urges a valve M downward so that the head 15 of the valve is normally held against a seat 16 in the valve housing H and prevents the escape of the air supply. The valve M has assembled on its lower end another head 11 which normally is not seated against the lower valve seat 18 in the housing H. A foot treadle 19 is pivotally mounted in the valve housing so that when the long arm 88 is moved downward as by stepping upon it, the short arm 8! moves the valve 14 upward.

Upward movement of the valve 14 causes the lower head T1 to contact the seat 18 and causes the upper head 15 to move away from the seat 18 permitting pressure fiuid to fiow from the supply line 72 through the passage formed by the unseating of the upper head l5 and into the line 82. Pressure fluid is conducted to the cylinder 56 through the inlet port 84 by the line 82, when it forces the valve 59 from its seat 85 and exerts pressure on the piston 68, causing it to descend. The descending piston 88 opens the door 25 in the manner explained before.

When the fireman removes his foot from the treadle 78, the spring 73 forces the valve 14 down causing the upper valve head 15 to engage its seat 16, thereby cutting off the supply of pressure fluid from the line 12, and to move the lower valve head ll away from its seat 18 providing an exhaust port 83. The weight of the door 25 will now cause it to descend to its closed position. The movement of the door 25 is communi cated to the piston 68 by the mechanism previously described, causing it to move upward, at the same time forcing the pressure fluid through the exhaust port 86, into the line 82 and then to atmosphere through the exhaust port 83.

When the piston 68 in its upward movement passes the exhaust port 88, a certain amount of pressure fluid is trapped above the piston 60, which is permitted to escape slowly through the port 81. The cushioning effect of the remaining air escaping slowly through the cushion port 81, which may be varied by the regulating screw 90, retards the movement of the mechanism and consequently causes the movement of the firedoor to be retarded, permitting it to come to rest slowly and smoothly.

The cover or guard member 44 is bolted to the guide member 28 and rear wall of the motor and supports the outer end of the pivot 4|, the inner end being mounted in the rear wall of the motor. This construction permits the whole door actuating mechanism to be readily and conveniently disassembled and replaced as a unit by simply disconnecting the air line 82 and removing the bolts 30 in the guide member 28. The conduit or casing 15 has its rear wall projecting a suflicient distance with respect to the lower wall of the firing opening 18, so that the column of coal rising in the conduit will tend to fall forward toward the firing opening l3. The side walls 20 and 2t extend above the front and rear walls and are joined by the top wall l9 at the upper end of the firing opening IS. The portions of the side walls 28 and 2! opposite the firing opening have their rearward edges offset from the rear of the conduit l5, the rearward edges of the offset portions of the side walls lying in a plane between the plane of the firebox backhead l2 and the plane of the rear of the conduit, forming a vertical recess in the conduit for the reception of the door 25 which forms a closure therefor.

The door 25 has the outer longitudinal edges thereof engaging the rear edges of the side walls 20 and 2|, and the lower portion of the door extends outwardly to and joins the upper end of the rear wall of the conduit, thereby forming a continuation of the conduit or casing I5. The

body of the door gradually slopes upwardly from the top of the rear wall of the conduit toward the upper portion of the aperture.

The door 25, therefore, has engagement with the edges of the side walls 20 and 2| defining the recess in the conduit and the upper edge of the rear wall of the casing I 5, and due to its conformation forms a part of and continuation of the casing throughout a large area of the firing opening I3, By this arrangement the door can be moved to open position and an opening is provided through the casing whereby access may be had to the firebox and the fireman can perform such hand firing as may be necessary.

Preferably, the lower end of the firedoor 25 is curved and flared, the inside surface of its rear wall 93 being concave and conforming atits lower end substantially to the shape of the casing 15, the concavity decreasing as it approaches the upper 'end of the door. In this manner the combination of this novel firedoor with the conduit forms, when closed, the upper wall of the casing I and the rear portion of the side walls, thus providing a full size unrestricted conduit and minimizes the length of the tunnel through the discharge end I! which is very advantageous when hand firing through the aperture 24.

The vertical slope of the rear portion 92 of the casing 15 and the curvature of the inside rear portion 93 of the firedoor 25 are such that the column of coal rising in the casing l5 tends to move away or lose contact with these walls. Thus the coal is prevented from moving into the path of the firedoor when it is raised which would interfere with its closing.

It will be seen that the firedoor 25 is held in the races 3| and 32 by the guide members 28 and 29 and inv addition is prevented from moving hori zontally in event of boiler explosions, by the firedoor ledge 89, while because of its upright position there should be little tendency for it to blow open vertically. If desired, the firedoor may be provided with inspection openings 94, (Figure 3) which openings are normally closed by the slide 95. By moving the slide the openings can be used for inspection of the fire or for observation of the operation of the distributing means without opening the firedoor.

Summarizing the power operation of the firedoor, when the operator steps on the treadle 19 the control valve 14 is raised until its lower head H closes the outlet port 83. The upper head 15 rises at the same time and permits the air pressure from the supply pipe 12 to flow through the lead pipe 82, to the firedoor motor 55. As air flows through the inlet port 84 the inlet valve 59 is moved away from its seat and the air enters the cylinder 56 and moves, the piston 69 downward until the pin 6| contacts the other end of the slot 62. Because of the pin 6| contacting and moving the arm 48 downward with it, the arm 49 is raised and opens the firedoor 25 by reason of the roller track 50 on the outer end of the lever 47 engaging with the roller 5| mounted on the firedoor.

It should be noted that the manually operated handle 40 remains in its normal position when the mechanism is being power operated and therefore the door does not become latched in its open position.

When the operator releases the treadle 19 the control valve is forced down by the spring 13, shuts off the air supply and permits the air pressure in the pipe 82 and the cylinder 56 to quickly exhaust through the outlet port 83 in the housing "ll until the upper end of the piston 60 passes the exhaust port 86 in the cylinder 56. Then the action of -the piston is slowed down as the remaining airmust be forced out through the cushioningport 87 and the movement of the firedoor is thereby retarded as it closes.

' In Figures '7' and 8 there is shown a modified form of the invention in which the firedoor or closure for the aperture in the fuel feed casing 15 comprises a pair of doors 9B and 91 adapted to swing laterally and vertically and meet together on a vertical center line when in normal position. Ihe doors are respectively mounted on pivots 98 and 99 and are geared together on their upper quadrants and are actuated by a motor mounted on the top wall l9, above the doors, the type. construction and operation of which is well known in. the art-and need not be explained further. It may be controlled with a valve mechanism as shown at 19 or with any other well known design. The lower ends of the firedoors 96 and 91 are curved and flared and their inside walls, I00, when closed, conform at their lower ends substantially to the shape of the stoker casing 15 as in the preferred construction and form a portion of the side and rear walls of the riser conduit and.

are of such slope and curvature as to provide a full size, unrestricted conduit, and insures conveying the fuel through the conduit and onto the distributor member 22 without being forced to spill out of the aperture or doorway when the doors 96 and 91 are opened.

It will be apparent that I have provided a combined stoker and firedoor structure that has a novel and practical form, utilizing the firedoor to form, when closed, a portion of the conduit and when open exposing the firing opening in the boiler permitting hand firing of the fuel through the firing opening directly to the firebox; and, that novel and useful operating mechanism is provided for operating the door.

I claim:

1. In combination with a firebox having an upright wall provided with a firing opening therein for hand and stoker firing, a stoker conduit extending upwardly from below the level of the firing opening and having a horizontally directed discharge mouth communicating with said firing opening and being in substantial register therewith, said discharge mouth having a top wall extending rearwardly from adjacent the upper margin of the firing opening and side walls extending rearwardly from adjacent the marginal sides of the firing opening, the rearward edges of said side walls being offset from the rear of said conduit toward the plane of said firebox wall, the rearward edges of said side walls and the rearward edge of said top wall defining an aperture in the upper rearward portion of said conduit opposite the firing opening, the height and width of said aperture being substantially as great as the height and width respectively of said firing opening, the upper marginal edge of said conduit immediately rearward of the lower ends of the rearward edges of said offset sidewalls lying in a plane transverse with respect to the direction of extent of said conduit and defining an aperture forming with said first named aperture a continuous opening, a movable door for said continuous opening, the marginal edges of said door contacting the contiguous edges of the conduit that define said continuous opening, the inner surface of said door being concave to form a continuation of the walls of said conduit.

2. In combination with a firebox having an upright wall provided with a firing opening therein for hand and stoker firing, a Stoker conduit extending upwardly from below the level of the firing opening and having a horizontally directed discharge mouth communicating with said firing opening and being in substantial register therewith, said discharge mouth having a. top Wall extending rearwardly from adjacent the upper margin of the firing opening and side walls extending rearwardly from adjacent the marginal sides of the firing opening, the rearward edges of said side Walls being ofiset from the rear of said conduit toward the plane of said firebox wall, the rearward edges of said side walls and the rearward edge of said top wall defining an aperture in the upper rearward portion of said conduit opposite the firing opening, the height and width of said aperture being substantially as great as the height and width respectively of said firing opening, the upper marginal edge of said conduit immediately rearward of the lower ends of the rearward edges of said offset sidewalls lying in a plane transverse with respect to the direction of extent of said conduit and defining an aperture forming with said first named aperture a continuous opening, a movable door for said continuous opening, the marginal edges of said door contacting the contiguous edges of the 

